Villa Triumph in 7 Goal Thriller

Aston Villa staged a superb comeback and came out the winners in yesterday’s 7-goal thriller Vs Brighton. Fabian Hurzeler’s men raced into a two goal lead with goals from Jan Paul Van Hecke and a Pau Torres own goal but Ollie Watkins scored twice before half time to bring scores level.

Amadou Onana then put Villa ahead and Donyell Malen made it 4-2 before Van Hecke scored again to give Brighton a lifeline, but it was not enough as Aston Villa held on to win.

Morgan Rogers and Evan Guessand were left and right of Ollie Watkins with John McGinn in attacking midfield in Aston Villa’s 4231. Brighton also used a 4231 with Stefanos Tzimas up top, flanked by Maxim De Cuyper and Yankuba Minteh, with Brajan Gruda in attacking midfield.

The match at the Amex Stadium was an enthralling, high-scoring contest that saw Aston Villa fight back from a two-goal deficit to win 4-3. The drama began even before the whistle, as Villa were forced to make a pre-match change when goalkeeper Emi Martínez withdrew during the warm-up due to a back injury, and Marco Bizot started in his place.

The early action favored the home side. In the 9th minute, Jan Paul van Hecke opened the scoring amidst a goalmouth scramble after Villa stand-in keeper Marco Bizot fumbled a controversial left-wing corner. Brighton had to make an early substitution in the 24th minute as Stefanos Tzimas was carried off after catching his knee in the turf, and Jack Hinshelwood came on to replace him.

Brighton continued to test the stand-in keeper. In the 27th minute, Marco Bizot made a save, tipping over a free-kick from Maxim De Cuyper. Villa created a good chance to equalize in the 28th minute, but Ollie Watkins fired a tame effort that was kept out by Bart Verbruggen, registering a wayward shot.

Brighton quickly doubled their lead in the 29th minute, though in unfortunate fashion for Villa. A low cross from substitute Jack Hinshelwood deflected off Pau Torres’s leg, wrong-footing Bizot, resulting in an Own Goal. Villa were denied a penalty appeal in the 35th minute after Ian Maatsen went down under pressure from Carlos Baleba.

Villa finally broke through in the 37th minute when Ollie Watkins halved the deficit with a sliding finish, prodding home a low cross from Ian Maatsen. Villa pressed hard for the equalizer before the break, coming agonizingly close in stoppage time when Ezri Konsa’s towering header from a Matty Cash corner struck the left post, a key near miss.

Brighton then had an attempt as Brajan Gruda fired a wasteful shot straight at Marco Bizot. The frenetic first half ended dramatically in the seventh minute of first half stoppage time when Ollie Watkins scored his second, controlling a superb ball from Morgan Rogers and drilling an emphatic low finish past Bart Verbruggen. The half ended level at 2-2.

The second half saw Villa carry their momentum forward. In the 58th minute, Ian Maatsen tested Bart Verbruggen with a shot, forcing a save. Villa then completed their comeback in the 60th minute when Amadou Onana scored the goal to put them ahead, heading home Matty Cash’s corner at the back post.

Brighton refused to give up, and in the 67th minute, Bart Verbruggen made an excellent reflex save to keep out a potential own goal from a Lewis Dunk’s block. Villa made two substitutions in the 70th minute, bringing on Lucas Digne for Ian Maatsen and Youri Tielemans for Boubacar Kamara.

Villa’s lead was extended further in the 78th minute when substitute Donyell Malen scored with his first touch (2-4), sweeping home from close range after Bart Verbruggen had parried Evann Guessand’s initial header. Malen had replaced John McGinn in the 77th minute.

Brighton immediately hit back, ensuring a tense finish. In the 83rd minute, Jan Paul van Hecke scored his second goal, converting from the edge of the area. Brighton then created a chance but it was a wayward shot by Jack Hinshelwood that was deflected wide in the 85th minute. In the same minute, Diego Gómez was shown the yellow card. Villa made two defensive substitutions in the 86th minute, bringing on Lamare Bogarde for Evann Guessand and Emiliano Buendía for Ollie Watkins.

In the final minutes of normal time, Danny Welbeck missed to the right after a headed pass from Yankuba Minteh, another wayward shot. In stoppage time, Marco Bizot saved a header from Charalampos Kostoulas. The decisive moment came in the 90th minute plus four, when Marco Bizot made a remarkable fingertip save to thwart substitute Danny Welbeck’s close-range header, a crucial save that kept the score at 4-3.

Brighton registered two more attempts with Charalampos Kostoulas missing to the right from outside the box , and Danny Welbeck missing a header to the left after a corner.

The match ended in the 97th minute with the final score Brighton 3-4 Aston Villa.